


Pale Victory, Like Ashes

by Anonymous



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Alternate Universe - No Sburb Session, Beforus, Colonialism, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Epistolary, Multi, Past Abuse, Past Relationship(s), Physical Abuse, Psychological Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-20
Updated: 2014-09-22
Packaged: 2018-01-05 06:03:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1090479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aranea Serket is one of the highest-ranking members of Her Imperial Compassion's mission to Earth, tasked with helping bring humanity into the benevolent guidance of Her enlightened guardianship.</p>
<p>Dirk Strider has been caught by the trolls, imprisoned and separated from Jake, and now picked out by Aranea for reasons he doesn't know...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Saudade 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FailureArtist](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FailureArtist/gifts).



> This is _**not**_ a happy world, and some of the nastier elements may not get revealed. This has been edited from the kinkmeme version--in part, I checked the dates and math for some things, and worked out a rough timeline.

10/2/2013 

No sign what they plan to do with me yet.  Got parted from English during in-processing—heard rumors from some of the other humans he got culled. 

Haven't gotten to talk to another human in a ~~while~~ few days, though, since they pulled me out of the pens.  Not sure what for, but got my guesses from the room they stuck me in—not too fancy, compared to the sorts of places humans got Before, but I don't have to share it.  I'll take sleeping curled up on the floor for a bathroom and all to myself.  (Bathroom has about enough room for a shower, a sink, and a toilet, and takes up most of my space.  Pretty sure they know we don't usually sleep curled up, but showers as long as I want.) 

Clothes aren't any better.  Never thought I would miss shoes and underwear.  Ended up with a blue dress this time.  The collar is bulkier.  If I had a mirror I could say more, if they added shit past the various monitors and locator and zapper.  Where I am looks more secure, it took me a few ~~light-cycles~~ days to feel sure that I found the cameras.  Looks like they figure the collar's monitor enough to let me bathe and shit without watching, still. 

I have spotted another human.  Dark, straight hair, solid build, not sure about sex.  Haircuts still not a thing here, so hair didn't mean much, same for the dress.  Violet, not blue, though.  Color-coding of some sort? 

— TT 

 

TT — 

12/2.  Another gap?  Can't send you anything sharp, but take good care of the boxers. 

TG 

 

2nd Lunar Perigee of Dark Season, 104SIC (Regional) 

Meenah, 

I am settling into my new assignment well.  I have a good feeling a8out this planet, even though they have 8een resisting unreasona8ly hard Her Imperial Compassion's 8enovolent offer of our enlightened aid.  It is a good placement, though; I am certain I shall 8e a8le to show I am ready to 8e promoted to the Imperial Council! 

Terra is such an interesting planet, too!  The inha8itants look like hornless zom8ies, and all have 8right red 8lood like the Sermoner did.  They are, of course, quite primitive and in dire need of our aid; why, they had not even managed to form a unified government 8efore we started helping!  Of course, this is entirely in my favor, 8ecause my success in helping them form a proper government will mean I can easily prove I am a 8etter choice than Lanthorn, even if she does have Imperial favor!  (She was assigned here, as well.  She still takes after that water-dragon of a lusus she has, too.) 

I have already found a candidate for training for the Terran Native Council; male, 8ut he has already shown great promise and natural persuasive skill.  I am sure he will prove a much 8etter candidate than Lanthorn’s, who I am certain chose hers with an eye only for what would please 8P. 

Of course, I will 8e sending more information once I have my gru8top properly linked into the local network! 

<3, Aranea 

 

Aranea, 

Pity ya but cod no. 

Meenah 

 

The primitive aboriginals of the 3rd planet circling the yellow star designated ‘Sol’ bear an amazingly close resemblance to trolls.  Not only do they very closely physically resemble hornless, thinly-downed trolls, but their biology is astoundingly close to early trollkind, as described in the Koukogakusha’s final works. 

The Imperial Compassion, in Her enlightened benevolence, has chosen to put into place programs designed to free these unfortunate ‘humans,’ as they term themselves, from their distasteful and indisputably miserable current state. It is quite obvious that they would benefit greatly from the small changes necessary to bequeath to them more proper forms, freeing them as our ancestors were from the burdens of being chained to such burdens as they are by their primitive condition. 

It is unfortunate that, as a consequence of their current state, they do not see the obvious benefits of the programs we have put into place.  Some resist, and even among those who are benefitting the most from our guidance. 

Therefore, it is necessary to keep some of these programs a complete secret from the bulk of the human population until they are able to fully appreciate the benefits they bring. 

— Excerpted from Governor Gramercy’s “Greeting to Honorable New Arrivals” (Edition not known) 

At this point, the efforts to alter human culture had become finally severe enough that few could dispute that the trolls were seeking to cause more significant changes than merely those necessary to ensure Earth was securely under their rulership.  The public response was relatively mild at this point, however, and much of the media encouraged the belief that even the most severe changes would be ones we had on the whole long wished to have. 

This, in the end, played a significant role in the demise of the older news media as their credibility crumbled in the wake of the public finally learning the details of the programs the invaders were running and their ultimate goals.  While it may never be known for certain the full extent of their collusion with the trolls, there was absolutely no doubt that it was present.  There was simply too much occurring that was not reported and which later events revealed that some, at least, must have been aware of. 

— Excerpt from _A History of Empire_

The first tier of camps were miserably cheerful affairs.  The trolls first put all the humans they rounded up into what we called ‘pens.’  These were very simple accommodations, and all questions as to why they were lacking comfort got reassuring answers.  The lack of bedding, for instance, was because those might harbor vermin, and this was perhaps true but was mostly to do with the fact that we were expected to somehow maintain our own housing, without the proper resources. 

The trolls running the place were convinced that what they did was for our own good, and they gave no sign of doubting that we would come to understand and appreciate what they were doing to us.  They felt this justified everything, including culling those of us they deemed sick, weak, or hurt.  Those culled—and those we could only presume were culled, as we were not always told—were simply removed from the pens.  Sometimes, there was enough warning that those about to be culled could say their goodbyes… 

— Excerpt from _Out of the Pens_

Fuck it don’t care 

Again?  Dammit.  Think they’re doing it on purpose?  It must have been when they pulled me out of the pens; I don’t remember feeling like they drugged me since the last time I had the right date, and I’m pretty sure the lights here run on their clocks.  Might be the same as local time, might not, you’d be better able to say. 

On that note: you have been saving those boxers for this sort of occasion, haven’t you?  Green silk can’t be easy to get now, and that shade of green… 

I am going to keep them hidden, though.  It seems like one of their nobles claimed me as her personal property.  In case you still haven’t read through English’s grandma’s notes, this means that yes, I’ve got a new tattoo and I am not happy about it.  (It is on my cheek and if you are planning a rescue please include plans for a tattoo removal.  And no mirrors until it’s off.) 

She is as talkative about her plans as the villains from English’s old movies, too.  Not as informative, though.  Lots about how wonderful Beforus is and how wonderful the trolls’ plans for humanity are—the same things the propaganda tells us and all, nothing really new. 

What is news: We were scooped up in just another round of the rural clearances.  It wasn’t targeted, it was just another round of them wanting humans to live in cities like ‘proper civilized people’ or however their mouthpieces keep putting it. 

I did something that got this troll interested in me specifically.  She was too busy blabbing about other shit to tell me what it was and for what, unless she covered that while I was being distracted by the nooklicker putting her sign on my face. 

Will try to write you again soon. 

— TT 


	2. Saudade 2

Meenah, 

        I feel like I have had a very productive quarter-perigee, even if I’ve spent most of it 8uried in the various archives researching this planet.  It’s actually not at all a surprise that its population would have gotten so much of 8P’s attention; they’re so much like us, it does feel quite strange when one is reminded how they’re different. 

        On that note: I am trying to decide if a ‘8eard’ and ‘mustache’ would 8e any improvement or not over distur8ingly downless.  I think I may opt to have him spared from it after all; it looks more like one of those ugly cute 8ad pupation culls—remem8er that fad?  I’m sending pictures; let me know what you think.  The redness around my mark will fade, they’re one of those species that gets marked under their skin.  I think I like the results a 8it more than the acid-etch of the last place, especially since there’s only one step necessary, as pigment can 8e inserted directly. 

        Of course my sign alone really _ought_ to 8e enough, 8ut some of the warmer shades simply don’t seem to 8other knowing what the signs of the resident high8loods are and I would rather not risk him getting harmed simply 8ecause he wasn’t dressed.  (Did you ever find what happened to that pet of yours?  It really shouldn’t have 8een necessary, 8ut…) 

        He does seem to 8e taking his time settling in, 8ut that may 8e entirely normal for humans.  From the logs he seems to have mostly kept to his room, and has 8een using the terminal there.  He’s rather cute there; he’s 8een testing the security on it, unsuccessfully of course.  It’s only a schoolfeeder terminal, after all, and not connected to anything important.  It doesn’t even have the access to the human electronic information networks, though if he does well in his training I may give him access since he seems to rather enjoy videos given the servers he has 8een trying to access. 

        I may have to work on his tastes, though.   _Sweet 8ro and Hella Jeff_ is not very good cinema 8y even the most charita8le definition.  Yes, yes, I know, you don’t think 8eing a8le to appreciate art is really that important to those ruling, 8ut regardless of if I agree with you or not we 8oth know that 8P’s opinion there is the one that really matters.  At least you don’t have your access locked anymore to ensure you don’t watch anything not sufficiently refined so you can watch all the low trashy shows you want.  (No I am not going to contri8ute to your 8ad ha8its, it’s 8ad enough that you’re watching trashy _troll_ shows; some of those are 8ad enough that their 8etter works might actually 8e 8etter.) 

        If he’s only following directors, I might give him access even sooner to the newer, 8etter, series Strider’s doing, 8ased off of some particularly good novels 8y a pair of Russian 8rothers, that I’m told is quite good…  It’s a change from his past works, 8ut the first installment certainly looks quite uplifting, not at all what one would expect after his previous movies. 

[…]

        Got more evidence that the cover is holding well.  (Also: What.)  She’s giving me more things for ‘self-study’ time.  It’s a mix of the really basic propaganda shit and what I think is their version of ESL material.  At least I really hope that’s it, because it’s really, really weird.  Not any weirder than the newest thing you made—got it as a reward for being good for the last round she had me in the shop for—but I don’t know what is going on. 

        It’s all electronic so I’m sending copies, R Sr might enjoy.  Still not sure what the rabbity fangy thing is.  At least the horse looks like a horse.  Think I’d have flipped something if it hadn’t. 

        It does seem like R Sr is right about them not bothering to learn much about our languages.  It seems like the scorpion doesn’t know how to read our language, and I’m starting to think that most don’t really have much of a vocabulary outside of the ones they have set up as translators.  That is probably more useful to you, though. 

        In other news, I am starting to be able to figure out what she’s saying when it’s not a variation on a theme from the propaganda.  I think what’s going on there is that she thinks that I’m rural, and rural means ignorant, and so she doesn’t expect me to have a much larger vocabulary than hers.  If R Sr is right about their language sticking words together to make new ones, and I think she is, that would explain most of the weird things she keeps doing to English, too.  The words she chooses to substitute for are rather weird, though; most are more sophisticated circumlocutions.  Maybe they got their original glossary from a schizophrenic?  Or somebody with your sense of humor? 

        But yeah, you should be able to get away with a lot.  Their grasp of English really is that bad, and you’re right, they really don’t think there’s any reason to learn other human languages.  I am not quite sure, the scorpion rambles like R Jr on a bad night, but they may actually consider it a sign of how primitive we are that we don’t have a universal language.  She has made it clear that they intend for all official human business to be done in English. 

        R Sr was right, they do plan to have humans running Earth for them.  She has not been clear (or maybe she has, sometimes it’s hard to follow her) but I think she was sent here for that.  It would help if she was more honest about what they were doing, but they’re not even honest to themselves. 

        I am sure, now, that I wasn’t culled.  I’m not to the point of asking straight out, don’t know how much she knows about me and I don’t want to dispell whatever illusions she has that have kept my cover by being too openly inquisitive.  Just because she has a girlfriend doesn’t mean that she might not have picked me out for some sort of concubine. 

        She is not at all to my tastes, but since when has that ever mattered? 

TT 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're curious, the rest of Aranea's letter is pretty much entirely gossip about the various highbloods she is working with, some of whom Meenah knows as well, in vastly greater detail than Meenah (or anybody else, really) wants to know.
> 
> This may very will be done with many of Aranea's letters.
> 
> Also, the novels Dave's adapting do exist, though the translations into English are of the censored versions...and he's not doing a faithful adaption anyway, as he's slipping in some aspects of a later Russian author's deconstructive homage to the works.


	3. Saudade 3

TT

        Blame the Union of Artists for blocking funding of and R Sr.  She was the one who suggested the novels, and given her history with them it seemed like a good time to take her advice even if I don't read Russian.

        It is useful to know they probably can't either, though.  R Sr has been helping with that, and I am hoping that nobody quite is expecting entirely faithful adaptations.  Not that I'm ending the comic, but it looks like samizdat using the internet will be the best way now that 'minimal standards of quality' are being enforced.  Your bf would be miserable, no more of the sort of movies he likes, they've got to be Artistic now.

        Of course the 'quality' requirements do not seem to be getting enforced when the works are, as R Sr puts it, panagyrics about them.  Unfortunately, even I have standards.

        And being poked to death definitely would violate them.

        She does thank you for the data dump, she apparently has been looking for the language materials.  The short version (if she didn't want it abridged she would have sent it herself) is that they do not seem to think that humanity needs to speak their language, so the textbooks and workbooks you sent are not the sort of thing easily gotten.

TG

 

        It looks like an ironically slick panagyric to me, though since R Sr suggested the source material I expect it will turn out not to be one after all.

        I've been doing relatively well with the language lessons, though maybe not as good as the scorpion would like.  I think it's unreasonable expectations on her part.  Maybe she'd like to be able to talk at me in her own language.  (I do not think she realizes what sort of motivation this gives me.)

        Still, if I play along I stand a good chance of finding out exactly what her plans for me are, and that seems to be something I best prioritize.  If I can earn their trust I might be able to get more important useful information, not just troll-English dictionaries.  I would expect that R Sr and you could make good use of proof of what the trolls are up to outside of the nice show camps.

TT

 

        The truth of what the trolls did to those humans entirely under their control came out gradually, and through two primary routes.  The more useful one proved to be that of those who smuggled out the various documentation the trolls produced, both the basic ephemera of the day-to-day running of their colony and the media produced for their own consumption, to show others of their kind their progress here.

        However, the information provided by escapees was essential.  While they often would gloss over some of the atrocities, for reasons that seem now to be quite obvious, without them it was quite likely that the existence of the camps would have been concealed entirely.  Some of them, despite their reluctance to reveal the full depth of what was done to them, were quite active in the resistance efforts.

        One of these individuals was Jade English, who was among both the first to be taken by the trolls and the first to escape.  She had been one of a pair selected by the Compassa for personal attention, though in public she was one of the two children the Compassa had chosen to openly foster under her public identity of ‘Betty Crocker.’  While there may have already been the scattered beginnings of a resistance movement already, Jade English certainly was responsible for the start of the unified and organized resistance effort.

        Her escape, however, had come at the price of John Egbert, the other human in the Compassa’s grasp, serving as a distraction.  His own opportunity came over a decade later, on the Compassa’s departure.

        The exact reasons for the tendency of some of the early escapees to avoid each other was only explained later; at the time, very little was actually known and thus it was not commonly realized how unusual it was for them to not only talk but on occasion work together.  It was quite fortunate, however, that their past history together of shared suffering did not prevent them from becoming the backbone of the early resistance together.

        However, the full horror came out only later.

 

        A few weeks in, we had our first glimpse of the infirmary, courtesy of some fast talking and the trolls' approval of the idea that we just wanted to do some firsthand caring for some of our kind who were less fortunate.  Most of the people who tried for the job were not quite as gilb and let it slip that they were just after something a bit more interesting than sitting around all day in the barracks or in the 'improvement blocks.'

        Most of what got you into the infirmary was pretty basic, things like scrapes, mild illnesses, and suicide attempts that were wildly unsuccessful.  It was all very orderly and sanitary, with signs in their language telling them what was in which ward and all very white and red.

        I was assigned, much to my surprise, to the creche.  There was one surprisingly pale troll acting as supervisor, a half dozen or so human assistants, and scores of infants ranging from newborns to toddlers.  There was practically no organization, but that at least was not so much of a surprise given that they definitely were not asking people about their experience and skills before assigning them.  The pale troll was not really very much help, either, and he appeared to be at as much of a loss as us: he usually simply told us to take care of things ourselves, regardless of if it was calming screaming infants or changing a diaper.

        He was, however, quite useful when we told him we needed something specific, and generally quite pleasant company as long as nobody got too curious about where the infants came from.  He was nicer when somebody asked where children got sent once too old…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may be switching to here as the main place I update this, and am definitely in the market for a beta...

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to be influenced in part by the peanut gallery: Leave questions, comments, and things you might want to see. Some characters' survival may depend on people wanting them alive.


End file.
